Mechanism for controlling web material



Sept. 5, 1950 J. F. BANNON MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING WEB MATERIAL Filed June 14, 1947 IN VEN TOR. Jo/m F fiAw/va/v Patented Sept. 5, 1950 MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING WEB -MATERIAL John F. BannomPi-ovidence, R. I.

Application June'14, 1947, Serial No. 754,781

1 Claim. (01.2 7049) My invention relates to a, fabric trolling the feed of fabric to a treating apparatus;

More particularly my invention relates to a type of treating apparatus known as a J -box.

7 The J-box type of apparatus as heretofore constructed is of a general U-shapehaving a long leg into which the fabric is fed and a shorter leg from which the fabric is withdrawn.

or in open width, is fed into theupper end-of the inlet leg by a suitable feed roller and is led by suitable mechanism in horizontal layers, As the fabric piles up in the J -box it is pressed by the weight of" the super adjacent layers into a lower part of the apparatus, is then withdrawn through the shorter leg on the opposite side by means of a suitable withdrawing element. While in the J-box the fabric may be heated or washed or treated with a bleach, or with other chemicals, the J-box providing sufficient time'andconditions for the treatment. I

Inasmuch as the rate of feeding in of the fabric. may at times vary from the rate at which it is withdrawn, either by variations of the speed of the feed and off-take mechanisms or from other causes, the level of the piled up fabric in the intake leg may fall to a point at which the period of time in the J-box may be too short for the required treatment, or if the off-take is slow relative to the feed the fabric may pile up in the box to such a point as might clog the feeding mechanism.

My present invention provides a mechanism whereby the, feeding of the fabric is so controlled 7 as to maintain the fabric in the intake leg between an upper and lower level.

In my present invention I provide a pair of displaceable plates or elements, one at the level of the upper limit of fabric in the inlet leg and the other at the lower level. These plates are so positioned that the weight of fabric or cloth at the respective levels will displace the plates in such a way as to operate control switches, and when the weight of fabric is removed from the plates they will resume their normal positions. Preferably the plates are hinged at their respective upper edges to the side wall of the intake leg and are pressed outwardly by resilient means so as to receive the weight of the piled up fabric and be displaced. A shield spaced a short distance above the upper plate prevents the displacement of this plate by the impact of the downwardly fed fabric but permits its displace- .t t hg -Q paratus particularly to a mechanism ,for con-,

The, fabric, which may be contracted to a rope form, r

ment by the static weight of accumulated layersof fabric.

The control of the motor for feeding the fabric maybe eifectedby an electric circuit so arranged that a displacement of the'upper plate by a pile of fabric or cloth will operate a switch to stop or reduce the speed of the'feeding mechanism until the layer of fabric falls below the level of the lower .displaceable plate which will then return to its normal position and cause the feeding mechanism to start or resume its normal speed.

This position will be maintained as long as, or until, the level of the fabric is sufficient to dis-- tical section of a J-box having the displaceable control plates and an electric circuit for controllinga fabric feeding-motor.

,In the embodiment of the invention shown in" the accompanying drawing a, -J-box I is provided with a U-shaped lower part 2, a relatively short off-take leg 3 and a feed or inlet leg 4 which'extends upwardly above the upper end of the off-i take leg 3. a

At its upper end the leg 4 may be provided.

with an inlet 5 through whiche, length of fabric 6 is supplied. The fabric 6 passes over a feed": roller l, which may be of usual construction, and thence downwardly through an ,eyelet or Eslotted v member 8 suspended by a swinging arm 9 to swing from one side to the other of the box so as to lay the fabric in horizontal folds or layers, as indicated at H].

If the fabric is being fed in rope form it may pass through an eye I I, which may be fed transversely, and thus distribute the fabric in a crisscross formation. The means for reciprocating the eyes 8 and l i are of well known construction and are, therefore, not illustrated.

On the wall of the inlet leg I0 is mounted an upper control plate I2 and a lower control plate l3. These plates normally project slightly into the J-box but are pressed downwardly against the inner surface of the wall of the leg by a weight of fabric in the event that the fabric rises above the level of the plates. The plates may be of any suitable construction provided they permit the free and unobstructed passage of the fabric and are displaced by the weight of the fabric at or above their level.

When the plate I2 is displaced by the weight of fabric against the wall of the inlet leg it operates a control mechanism to decrease the speed illus- Any suitable control mechanism may? em ployed. By way of illustrationan' electric con trol is shown diagrammatically in the drawing.

As illustrated an electric circuit is connected in the circuit, or in the controli. eircuit, of an electric motor [4 which drives the feed roll'l:

through a belt 15, or other transmission mechanism, and a driving pulley l6.

This control circuit comprisesa-leadi wire ll:

leading to a switch lswhich is operated by the plate 12 to open the circuit and stop, or decrease;- the speed of the motor [4 when the plate I2 is displaced gagainst th'e:walh.of the Jaboxe Thisserves to open the switch.

Fronrthe lswitchcl 8 a lead-"wire I91 leads to a SBCODdfSWitCh 2|Lwhioh isconnected to the lower" displaceablekcontrol plate :3 .in such a manner that theswitch is opened when the plate I I3 is displaced against the wall of'the hboxand closedi with the plate'as -soon as it is in normal position.

When the:le.vel of fabric falls below .the'le'vel off? the-plate .l altherlatter; therefore, swings: into ithe Jaboxran'dscloses the: switch '20.: At the same-time: the switch-1|8 awill bexclosed and-the: circuit will then; be closedithrough: a lead Wire 2 l an electr'o magnet 22 and a lead wire 2 3 leading to the moto'r circuit M- and 131163. supply 'means' or source of current; The :energizing .of the 'electro-znagnet 22 serves toclose :a' switch 25 in-vashuntcircuit'fli which the'rebyi maintains the 'circuit'closed afteratherswitch isizopened ia-nd -until the cirouit-is: broken by the switch [8? The closing' ol" the' switch lil will'notirestore the: circuit until the switch:20sissclosed:because thelelectro magnet H cannot beienerm'zedi until cur-rent -is 'establishedi The 'above electric; circuit is: purely diagram-= specific arrangement forms no part of the -pi'ese'rit' invention;

.'lior; revmtmsmacemenu oftlie plate 12 w theimp'act of fabric dropping downwardlyto the piled up. layers ibelow; shielding plate 2'I-"is mountediabove*thezplate' 12 1w defiect' the dow'ii 4 wardly passing fabric but to permit fabric to pile up against the plate I2 under plate 21 and displace the former by static pressure. The shielding plate 21 is preferably secured to the wall of the J-box in a downwardly slanting position and at a level to expose the plate I2 to sidewise pressure.

Through the above invention the level of the p'ileo'f fabric 'i'fitlie inlet.leg'is tlierefo're; maintained between the level ofthe displaceable control plates l2 and [3.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

A fabri'c treating apparatus which comprises a J-box having an intake leg, and an open outtake leg, a" feed---mechanism, a motor for driving said feed .mechanism an upper displaceable element and a lower displaceable element in said intake leg'imposition to be displaced by the Weight of fabric at the heights of said elements respectively',. a; control circuitf or s'aid' motori'comprisin'g an upper switch actuated by s'aidi upperdispiace'able element toopen saidcircuit when said elen'ient'is laterally d-isplaced; alower displaceable switch-- to open upon displacementoi said lower-displace able ele'ni'ent," electrmma'gnetie meansto" maintain' sa-id' 1 circuit closed between the opening of sa icllower switch and said upper switch; a swinging guide today said fabric in transverse layers crosswise substantially throughoutthe'width of said- -intak'e leg-against said upper displaceable elementand adeflector abovesa-id a pertainplaiceable" element extending inwardly there'overj topi'ev'en't' freely falling "fabric from striking" said" displaceable element directly;

JOHN"F. BA'NNONQ CITE? The .fitgll owiiig.refriicesare. of'record inthe file-,o'fthis patent:

UNITED STATES mapper Name fiate 561,295" Rigamonti et a1. "1\Tov: 6, 1901)" 21057 f41 onrieyefi al; oct; 13', I936" 2:277 1 4-. Elser" Mar; 21-1 942" 2 ,3f1 '7',92"1 peach A r: 27', '194f,v 23913905 Kauffrnanetal'; Jan. I', T916 239E762: Steele Apr; 271946 2,430,467" Nelson Nov: 4", 1947*" 

